It never hurts to have a few chicken salad in your recipe files. They're great for parties, a quick dinner and pack perfectly into lunch boxes. This chicken salad parts ways with mayo with whipped cream cheese taking its place. We love how the Ranch Dressing Blend really makes these simple ingredients sing. You could use a rotisserie chicken, but if you have time, poach the chicken--so worth it!
Ingredients for poaching the chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cloves
2 tsp Smoked Black Peppercorns
1/2 onion
1/2 head of garlic
1 stalk celery
Directions for poaching the chicken:
Place the chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with water. Add the other ingredients. Heat to just below a simmer and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, opaque white and the juices run clear--about 8-10 minutes. Drain and cool.
Ingredients for the Chicken Salad:
Poached chicken
8 oz Whipped Cream Cheese
2 Tbl Ranch Dressing Blend
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup roasted pecans
1/2 tsp hot sauce
salt & pepper to taste
Directions for the Chicken Salad:
Chop the poached chicken into small chunks. Combine the Whipped Cream Cheese, Ranch Dressing Blend, green onions and hot sauce. Fold in the chicken. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Garnish with the pecans. Serve with crackers or in lettuce wraps.